Conference - 2026
Industrialization, Market Access & the Sahel Gateway
Connecting Africa, Accelerating Growth
For the first time, Global Tech Africa (GTA) 2026 is bringing the spotlight to Kano and the Sahel, connecting technology, industry, investment and markets to unlock the region’s next wave of growth.
WHY KANO. WHY NOW
GTA 2026 is hosted in Kano, the gateway to the Sahel and a market corridor serving over 350 million people. Kano facilitates an estimated $2–5 billion in annual cross-border trade, with the potential to exceed $10 billion as AfCFTA implementation deepens. Technology across logistics, energy, payments, traceability, manufacturing, and e-commerce will be critical to unlocking this opportunity.
WHAT GTA 2026 WILL DELIVER
This year's conference is designed around measurable outcomes, including: 1,000 Business-to-Business meetings, 15 industrial partnerships, 10 trade corridor agreements, 500+ jobs created or committed through the jobs pipeline, at least 3 regional trade / sister-city MoUs and Kano Digital Industrialization Accord.
AFRICA IS THE OPPORTUNITY
GTA convenes government, industry, investors, tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and development institutions to leverage technology for industrialisation, market access, investment, and intra-African trade. Despite Africa's $3.4 trillion AfCFTA market and a population over 60% under 25, disconnected tech, industry, and trade sectors hinder scaling. GTA bridges this gap.
Global Voices
Mr. Kashifu Inuwa
Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)
3–5 November 2026
Three days across industry, investment and market access. Sessions run in the main hall with parallel breakouts, workshops and closed-door roundtables. The programme is updated as speakers are confirmed.
Masterclasses, Orientation & Kano Experience
Day 0 Registration & Welcome Coffee
Arrival / Registration
GTA: Why Kano, Why Now? — Video
Opening Orientation
Masterclass 1 — Practical Capability Session
Masterclass Block 1
Masterclass 2 — Practical Capability Session
Masterclass Block 1
Tea & Networking
Break / Registration Continues
Masterclass 3 — Practical Capability Session
Masterclass Block 2
Masterclass 4 — Practical Capability Session
Masterclass Block 2
Presentation Submission
Deal Room / Pitch Deck Submission / Prayer Time
Day 0 Lunch & Networking
Lunch Session
Enterprise / Ecosystem Orientation for Non-Tour Participants
Alternative Track
Kano Tour / Cultural Experience
Cultural Experience
Day 0 remains a proposal pending FutureMap / ubulu.africa approval.
Phase 1 — Building the Connected Economy
Registration & Networking Session
Registration Confirmation
National Anthem
Ceremonial
Host Welcome Address
Keynote Speech
“Kano: The Gateway” Opening Documentary + Cultural Performance
Opening Sequence
Connected by Design: Africa’s Next Growth Story
Opening Keynote
From Consumption to Production: Building Africa’s Industrial Advantage
Keynote 2
Can Technology Make African Production Globally Competitive?
Panel 1 · 5 speakers + moderator
Unlocking the Sahel Corridor: Logistics, Supply Chains & Market Access
Panel 2 · 5 speakers + moderator
AI, Trade & The New African Commercial Opportunity
Live Conversation · 2 speakers + moderator
Building in Africa: From Vision to Industrial Reality
In Conversation · 1 speaker + moderator
Tea Break & Delegate Movement
Break
“From Gateway to Growth”
Experience — Spoken Word
Making African Manufacturing Export-Ready
Panel Discussion 3 · facilitator + 2 practitioners
From Conversation to Opportunity
Deal Room Window / Networking · 4 investors
Lunch, Networking & Curated Meetings
Lunch / Networking / Experiential Activity
Prayer Session (1:00 – 1:20)
Blocked Prayer Time
Smart Industry & Intelligent Production
Working Session: Decision Lab
Making Sahel Trade Work
Working Session: Cross-Border Sandbox
From Product to Market: The Regional Scale-Up Playbook
Workshop 1
From AI Adoption to Commercial Value: The Business Case Workshop
Workshop 2
Day 1 Takeaways: What Must We Build?
Closing
Prayer, Tea & Final Reset
Prayer / Tea Break
Pillars: Industrialisation & Intelligent Production · Market Access & The Sahel Gateway · Infrastructure Backbone
Phase 2 — Finance, Enable & Scale
Registration & Networking Session
Registration Confirmation / Showcase
“Kano: Now & Next” Interactive Visual Experience
Experience — Visual Future Moment
Financing Africa’s Next Growth Cycle
Keynote 1
Policy That Enables Markets to Move
Keynote 2
Financing the Build: Who Pays for Africa’s Growth?
Panel 1 · 5 speakers + moderator
Can Policy Move Faster Than the Market?
Panel 2 · 5 speakers + moderator
Building Businesses That Can Scale Across Africa
In Conversation · 1 speaker + moderator
Inside the Investment Decision
Live Conversation · 1 speaker + moderator
Tea Break & Delegate Movement
Break
Northern Sound / Contemporary Instrumental Reset
Live Instrumental Transition
Talent, Innovation & The African Enterprise of Tomorrow
Fireside Chat
Capital Meets Opportunity
Closed-Door Deal Room · 4 investors + matched founders
Investment Roundtable: Capital needs, investability & priority opportunities
Breakout Room 1
Policy Lab: Aligning government, industry, investors & institutions
Breakout Room 2
Lunch, Networking & Curated Meetings
Lunch / Networking / Experiential Activity
Prayer Session (1:00 – 1:20)
Blocked Prayer Time
The Investment Readiness Debate: Founder vs. Funder
Live Debate — Room 1 · 2 founders + 1 investor
AI or Overhyped? The Digital Transformation Debate
Live Debate — Room 2 · 2 founders + 1 investor
From Conversation to Commitment: The GTA 2026 Outcomes
Closing
Prayer, Tea & Final Reset
Prayer Session
Pillars: Capital & Investment · Policy, Governance & Market Confidence · Talent, Innovation & Enterprise Growth
GTA Conference
announced in Kano
